KILKEE, Ireland (17 Mar 2009) — Seven divers rescued after a massive search in Kilkee, Co Clare, on Saturday were "young and inexperienced and should not have gone diving in those conditions", according to the Kilkee Marine Rescue Service. The criticism has been strongly rejected by the chairman of the diving club. It has been estimated that the cost of the massive search and rescue operation could be as much as €50,000 and could have been avoided if the divers had sought advice locally on the conditions. The seven men, all members of Athlone Sub Aqua Club, were carried by a strong current 600 metres out to sea over the top of a dangerous reef. The men had gone diving close to George's Head at about midday and unknown to the operator of their safety boat, the group was carried some distance from their original location and were lucky to have survived. "If they had made contact with the local marine rescue service, sub aqua club or the staff at the dive centre, which is located at the pier, they would have been told not to go out. And for a member of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club to describe what happened as a minor incident is a gross understatement," spokesman for the rescue service Manuel Di Lucia said yesterday. "This was a major incident and probably cost in the region of €50,000." However, chairman of the sub aqua club Brian Duffy said: "Our members are experienced and have been diving in Kilkee for a large number of years. It was their opinion that conditions were safe and they did not foresee what happened. "They are all safe and well after the incident and we will be carrying out our own investigation of the incident and will be putting measures in place to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. We would like to thank the rescue services for their prompt response on the day and we hope that lessons can be learned from this," Mr Duffy said. Mr Di Lucia added: "Conditions were just horrific with a 15ft swell and no one should have gone diving in those conditions in Kilkee or anywhere else for that matter. It was so turbulent and these divers who were young and inexperienced should have known better. Luckily they managed to stay together, but this could have been a major disaster." | | Kilkee Marine Rescue Service officials blasted Athlone Sub Aqua Club chairman Brian Duffy for his failure to acknowledge reckless and irresponsible decisions that nearly killed seven scuba divers including a young teen. In the aftermath of a helicopter rescue effort that cost at least €50,000, Duffy casually downplayed bad decisions that endangered human lives, dismissed claims that dive leaders should have called off the planned dive due to 15-ft swells and cheerfully chatted with reporters about how things went perfectly Valentia Coast Guard radio co-ordinated Saturday's operation, which involved the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Kilkee Marine and Rescue Service and members of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club. The Doolin and Kilkee units of the Irish Coast Guard as well as Kilkee Sub Aqua Club were also alerted and rushed to the scene. One 20-year-old diver was treated at the scene for hypothermia, while it is also understood that the youngest member of the group was just 15 years old. by Pat Flynn |
